Sunday, February 20, 2011

K is for Clotting But Also For Bone Health

Vitamin K - easy to remember - K is for "clotting", well there is actually lots more to it! Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamins (the others being A, D, and E). While it is best known for clotting, it is also involved in bone mineralization, a critical part of making bone. It also promotes healthy liver function.

But, let's go back to the bone part. We are all familiar with how prevalent osteoporosis is in this country. We are bombarded with the advertisements and the need for calcium supplements to magically cure this condition. As I've mentioned previously it is not just calcium, but there are 18 nutrients required to build bone. One of them is Vitamin K. And guess what? Most people are not getting enough of this vitamin either. It is readily available, but of course you have to like vegetables! The top food sources are the Cruciferous family of vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. It is also in the dark green leafy vegetables (think kale), eggs, and liver. For optimal health you should be eating these foods daily. Your blood, liver, metabolism, and bones depend on it!